1 hr ago
Unusual Monsoon Swell Surges Prompt Repeated Alerts Along Kerala Coast
Very large waves are reaching Kerala’s coast during the rainy monsoon season.
These waves can be created by strong storms far away in the southern Indian Ocean.
They travel hundreds or thousands of kilometres before reaching the shore.
This year, the sea has often been calmer than usual because of El Niño.
That calmness has made the powerful swell waves easier to notice.
Kerala has received 14 warnings about these waves since the monsoon began.
Some waves flooded roads in Alappuzha and affected traffic.
Officials are warning fishermen and beachgoers to stay away from dangerous coastal areas.
They are also watching to see whether the unusual waves continue after the monsoon.
INCOIS issued a red swell-surge alert for Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu, later extending it through Monday night.
Kerala has received 14 swell-surge alerts since this year’s southwest monsoon began, including two red alerts.
Heavy waves flooded coastal roads in Alappuzha on Sunday and disrupted traffic.
Officials link the unusual monsoon pattern to El Niño and distant swell waves traveling from the southern Indian Ocean.
KSDMA advised fishermen to avoid launching or beaching small vessels and urged people to avoid beach activities during alerts.
- Who
- The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, fishermen and coastal residents are involved.
- What
- Officials issued repeated alerts about unusually powerful swell surges, with risks including strong waves, erosion, coastal flooding and damage to fishing vessels.
- Where
- The alerts cover Kerala’s entire coast, southern Tamil Nadu and, at orange-alert level, coastal Karnataka; Alappuzha experienced flooding.
- When
- The latest red alert began on Saturday and was extended through late Monday night; 14 alerts have been issued since the southwest monsoon began this year.
- Why
- El Niño-influenced sea conditions and distant swell waves from the southern Indian Ocean have produced repeated powerful waves along the western coast.
Key facts
- Latest alert
- A red alert covered Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu, while an orange alert covered coastal Karnataka.
- Alerts this monsoon
- Kerala has received 14 swell-surge alerts, including two red alerts.
- Cause
- Swell waves can form during distant storms or prolonged strong winds and travel thousands of kilometres.
- Wave origin
- Officials said powerful swells reaching Kerala can originate 1,000 to 2,000 kilometres away in the southern ocean.
- Recent impact
- Heavy waves flooded coastal roads and disrupted traffic in Alappuzha on Sunday.
- Safety advice
- KSDMA advised against launching or beaching small vessels and urged people to avoid beach and sea activities during alerts.
- Monsoon rainfall
- Mainland Kerala has recorded a 28% southwest-monsoon deficit.
Quotes
Dr T M Balakrishnan Nair
Director of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services
“The El Niño phenomenon has influenced the sea conditions, with the usual monsoon waves and winds largely missing. The sea remains relatively calm due to the El Niño effect. At the same time, powerful swell waves, which originate from 1000 to 2000 kms away, have become very evident, leading to repeated episodes of swell surge along the coast”
indianexpress.com
“In previous years, the combination of monsoon waves and swell waves would produce rough and heavy seas, making it difficult to distinguish the contribution of swell surges separately. Consequently, there was no need for specific alerts against swell surges, as both phenomena contributed to huge waves hitting the coast and flooding.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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